SALISBURY, Maryland – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team dropped both games to visiting Howard University on Sunday, April 23, falling 14-4 in the resumed game from Saturday before suffering an 11-2 defeat.
The Hawks dropped to 12-25 overall on the season and 8-8 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action. The Bison improved to 16-24 in the campaign and 8-9 in conference play.
Game One: Howard 14, UMES 4
The Hawks and Bison battled to open the second game of the series on Saturday, April 22. Howard jumped ahead 4-0 through three frames with the bats before UMES plated three in the bottom of the third to close the gap.
Before the fourth inning could get underway, rain and lightning halted play until Sunday morning. When the game resumed, Howard jumped out with nine runs in the top of the fourth to take a 13-3 lead.
The Bison added another in the fifth and the Hawks got one back in the bottom half, but Howard ultimately finished the game in five frames.
Seven Hawks hit safely in the loss, with
Ameenah Ballenger posting a multi-hit effort and driving in three Hawk runs.
Howard's Mia Gonzales (8-11) earned the win, working 4.1 frames of two-run ball.
Katelyn Smitchko (5-12) was tagged with the loss, working 4.2 innings and allowing seven earned runs.
Game Two: Howard 11, UMES 2
The MEAC foes traded blows in the early innings of Sunday's originally scheduled game. After falling behind 1-0,
Nola Mountain singled and swiped a pair of bases before Ballenger collected a base hit to score her and tie the game.
The pitchers kept the scoring column blank for a few innings before the Bison bats found success in the fourth. The visitors added three to their total in the top of the fourth, taking a 4-1 lead.
UMES got one back in the bottom of the inning.
Ryan Merriwether reached on a fielder's choice before scoring on an error to bring the deficit to two.
The Bison found their final surge, plating seven across the fifth and sixth innings to force an early ending.
Mountain, Ballenger,
Kelsie Ekstrom and
Jaycee Holt collected hits in the day's second contest.
Howard's Amelia Weber (6-11) went the distance and earned the win, allowing just one earned run. Ballenger (7-13) was tagged with the loss after surrendering five earned runs in five frames of work.
The Hawks also recognized
Kaylyn Sterling and
Ah-Nayia Oglesby on Senior Day at the Henry S. Parker Complex on Sunday.
UMES returns to action on Wednesday, April 26 when they travel to Hampton University for a midweek doubleheader. First pitch from Hampton, Virginia is scheduled for 1 p.m.
